Do more with your door

Today’s world is plagued by huge environmental issues that may have felt distant in the past but are now banging at the door and demanding action.

Waste reduction is hugely important and with that comes a move away from fast furniture/fashion/food, in favour of a more sustainable approach. Luckily, doors are one product where a throwaway culture hasn’t really developed.

However, you may be upgrading the doors on older properties or looking to freshen up your front. Typically, you’d head to the tip with your old door but given their bulky weight and size, this can be easier said than done. Instead, I’d encourage you to think about the wonderful upcycling opportunities at your disposal.

I’ve pulled together some ideas for how a door can be upcycled into something entirely different. As we head into spring, consider this a new creative challenge.

If there’s something you can rely on a door for, it should be sturdiness and the ability to withstand the unpredictable British weather. If you want a new garden-based DIY project, how about using old doors as the walls of a shed?

Perhaps you want to put a proper divide in place between yourself and the neighbours whose kids keeping kicking a ball over? Doors look really cool as a garden fence and provide the perfect place for hanging bird feed or pots of flowers.

Taking a couple of old doors to form a little slice of quiet in the garden also makes a blissful reading spot.

Or, if you’d rather get a bit closer to your old door, you can turn it into outdoor seating to perch on.

Forget pouring your gin and tonic on the kitchen counter. Use an old door to create a home drink station and make every Friday night in feel like you’re frequenting a hip, new cocktail bar.

A new table is surprisingly expensive, especially when you think about the fact that it’s essentially just a big slab of wood on leg. Save some pounds and repurpose an old door into a dining room table fit for a feast.

If you don’t quite have room for that, a door can also be made into a quirky coffee table.

A modern home with everything packed out of sight always looks swish. But we all know that in reality, we need surfaces to spread out and put things on. Doors can make really unique shelving, whether as a bookshelf, bathroom shelving and towel racks, or even as chalkboard family planners. No more excuses for missing granny’s birthday.

A bedroom deserves furniture that looks great and makes you feel special. Instead of a boring headboard, a door can be a really distinctive feature. They’re also just the right shape to be used as a full-length mirror. I bet you never thought that a door could spice things up in the bedroom.

So, don’t think of old doors as a bore, and instead think about all unique features it lets you unlock.